The Chicago Cutlery Fusion 18-piece Block Set is a Versatile Knife Set for Beginners
What We Like
- Metal and rubber ergonomic handle
- 18 pieces of all the essential knives
- High carbon stainless steel
- Taper grind edge for razor sharpness
- Beautiful knives and sleek design
- Poly handle
- Sharpening rod and block
What We Don’t Like
- Expensive
- Not durable for a premium knife
- No kitchen shears
Bottom Line
The Chicago Cutlery Fusion 18-Piece Knife Block Set is a premium set so it’s not a surprise that it costs between $150 – $180.
This is the regular price range for a premium set but it is still too expensive when you consider the fact that the knives in the set are not as durable as many other premium sets.
They may be perfect for home cooking but a professional who does regular cooking night and day may wear the knives out. Apart from this, everything else about the knife set is great.
Owning a great knife set is a great way to save time and money in the long run. Instead of buying a new knife each time you need a specific purpose knife, you can buy a complete set of all the basic knives you want.
A great set comes with at least one general-purpose knife, a few steak knives, and other specific-purpose knives as well.
The types of the knife in each set usually depends on the amount you’re willing to spend and the number of knives that come in each set.
The Chicago Cutlery Fusion 18-Piece Knife Block Set has all the knives you’ll need for daily cooking either at home.
All the blades in the set are precision-forged with high-carbon steel for strength and durability like many other premium products.
In our review, we will help you decide if the product is worth the price or not.
Related article: Chicago Cutlery Belmont Knife Block Set
Features of Chicago Cutlery Fusion 18-Piece Block Set
Razor Sharp Edges
All the knives in the Chicago Cutlery Fusion 18-Piece Block Set are razor sharp. This is primarily due to the Taper grind edge technology that is used to sharpen each knife during production.
All the blades in the set slowly decrease in size from the edge of the handle to the top of the knife.
The knives are ground twice after molding on both sides giving it a smooth look on both sides without creating a bevel cutting edge. The grounding starts from the cutting edge to the spine of each knife.
Taper ground blades are more stable and much stronger than other blades. However, the knives in the Chicago Cutlery Fusion 18-Piece Block Set aren’t as good at withstanding cutting action as other taper ground blades.
They don’t chip when they are used on tough foods but many customers have complained about the knife separating from the handles when under pressure. Notwithstanding, the knives are razor sharp.
Contains the Basic Knives
The Chicago Cutlery Fusion 18-Piece Block Set is the perfect set for beginners who have never purchased a set of knives before. Most of the knives you’ll need are in the set.
There is a 7.75-inch long bread knife, a 3.25-inch long parer knife, and a 3-inch peeler knife. The 7-inch Santoku knife can be used as a general-purpose knife along with the 5-inches long utility knife.
These two knives come in handy just like the 7.75-inches chef’s knife in the set. There is also an 8-inches slicer knife and 8 4.25-inches steak knives.
Unlike many other sets, however, the set comes with a 5-inches partoku knife. Placing all the knives in the beautiful and sleek wooden block is a sight to behold for all knife lovers.
Let’s not forget to mention the 8-inches stainless steel sharpening rod that can come in handy.
Keep in mind that there is no kitchen shear in the set and this is minus since most great knife sets come with kitchen shears.
Poly Handle
There are different types of knife handles and each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. The knives in the Chicago Cutlery Fusion 18-Piece Block Set have poly handles.
It’s no news that poly handles are not as strong as metal handles. So, it makes sense that the handles in this set are a combination of metal and poly.
The core of the handles is made of metal but coated with rubber. This way, you will get the strength and durability of metal while enjoying the lightweight and comfort of rubber.
Apart from being lightweight and easy on your palms, the Chicago Cutlery Fusion 18-Piece Block Set handles are less susceptible to damage from chemicals when compared to metal handles.
Unfortunately, the plastic handles can’t stand high temperatures. So, try not to expose the knives to heat and other harsh elements.
Related reading: Chicago Cutlery Insignia Steel Knife Set
High Carbon Steel
The knives are made of high carbon steel. While Chicago Cutlery didn’t reveal much information about the particular type of steel that was used for the knives, most of their knives are precision-forged with VG-MAX steel.
So, they most likely used the same steel for this knife set. If this is the case, then it’s a premium set indeed. However, the knife isn’t as durable as many other premium knives.
Out of the 2000 plus reviews on Amazon, many people complained about at least one of the knives breaking into halves due to cutting action.
The good news is that there is a limited lifetime warranty for the set. So, you can return the whole set if one has a manufacturer’s defect.
Chicago Cutlery Fusion 18-Piece Block Set Review The Verdict
The key point from our Chicago Cutlery Fusion 18-Piece Knife Block Set review is that it is an ideal option for a beginner who doesn’t cook often but it might not be ideal for professionals who cook commercially.
The fact that the knives aren’t durable enough for professional use is discouraging since it costs around $150 to $180.
The set doesn’t have a kitchen shear. This is also discouraging since even none premium sets have shears.
